National Marriage Week, an annual celebration dedicated to promoting the institution of marriage, announces the launch of its 2025 campaign with the powerful theme of “Pursuing a Lasting Love.” This year’s mission is aimed at speaking to everyone’s core longing – to be loved – and to address how to help that love last. Taking place from February 7th to February 14th every year, National Marriage Week coincides with the week leading up to Valentine’s Day, making it the perfect time to celebrate the joys and virtues that marriage brings into our lives.
Brand new for this year, the 2025 campaign will feature eight consecutive nights of live virtual events and nightly challenges featuring expert guests in conversation discussing this year’s theme: Pursuing a Lasting Love. All livestreams will be at 7pm CST via the National Marriage Week YouTube Channel and require registration in advance at www.MarriageWeek.org.
- Day 1 – Friday, February 7th: Family Roots Impact Your Marriage with Panelists Amy Gilford, Scott Kedersha and Michael & Julie Johnson.
- Day 2 – Saturday, February 8th: Building Togetherness While Honoring Individuality with Panelists Kim Kimberling, George & Tondra Gregory and John Van Epp
- Day 3- Sunday, February 9th: Becoming Parents! With Panelists Rob Rienow, Dr. Ray Guarendi and Karen Stubbs
- Day 4 – Monday, February 10th: Coping with Crisis & Adversity with Panelists Robert Paul, Russ Berg and Greg & Lisa Popcak
- Day 5 – Tuesday, February 11th: Making a Safe Place for Conflict with Panelists Brad Rhoads, Troy & Kathleen Billlings and Sharon May
- Day 6 – Wednesday, February 12th: Intimacy in Marriage with Panelists Jonathan Daugherty, Laura & Patrick Gallier and Dr. Juli Slattery.
- Day 7 – Thursday, February 13th: Keeping the Fun Alive with Panelists Bill & Pam Farrel, Chris & Jamie Bailey and Jim Burns
- Day 8 – Friday, February 14th: Nurturing Emotions & Romance with Panelists Dr. Willard Harley, David & Claudia Arp and Greg & Julie Gorman
Join National Marriage Week in helping every marriage pursue a lasting love that will create a lasting impact on the institution of marriage. For more information and to sign up for the virtual events, visit www.MarriageWeek.org
As Christians and Catholics, we have much more reason to stress the importance of marriage as a very key part of God’s plan for our creation and our salvation. Marriage is a gift from God to teach us about love. St. John said that God is love. The Book of Genesis teaches us that God made man male and female and that He made them in His image and likeness. God made us to love; to love Him above all things and to love our neighbor as ourselves. God made marriage to be a union between one man and one woman for the purpose of sharing a life together and to bring new life into the world. A life that is loved and nurtured by a mother and a father. This is God’s plan and because it is from God it is what is truly best for us even though at times human beings think that their way is better.
Please take the time to check out the live stream presentations listed above. It will be well worth your effort and provide more growth in the role that marriages has in our lives and our faith.
The 2025 Catholic Charities Appeal will take place next weekend in our parish. Please refer to the insert in this week’s bulletin which includes our parish’s goal and an overview of the importance of Catholic Charities in our communities. This year’s appeal theme is “Make me a channel of your peace.” Your generous support will bring peace to the lives of others, to offer dignity, possibilities and companionship to those who are most vulnerable. Our in-pew commitment process will take place next weekend, February 15-16. All who have not received the mailing from Bishop Malesic or have not had a chance to respond to it, will be asked to consider making a generous pledge to support the ministries and services provided by Catholic Charities. If you have received the mailing, please respond generously to it. No need to fill out an additional envelope this year, stating you have already given. We invite you to view stories of inspiration and more information at CatholicCommunity.org/2025Appeal.
Sacred Heart Parish has always responded very generously to the Annual Catholic Charities Appeal. I pray that this spirit of generosity will continue in our parish family.
The Iron Chef fund raiser for the St. Vincent de Paul Society was again an astounding success, thanks to so many very generous people. A special thanks to the members of the society who worked very hard to make this event so successful, to our chefs, our generous sponsors, and all who were able to attend. This year we made around $80,000 which will enable us to continue to help those who are in need in our community. We were very happy to have Bishop Malesic with us this year. He also was able to celebrate the 5:00 PM Mass prior to the event. Congratulations to the winners: First place Lisa Locklear who made Jamaican Saturday Soup, and second place went to Mike and Joanne Gahan with their Beef on Weck. Everyone had a great evening, and it was all for the glory of God and His children.